Monday, May 21

More Thinking Bloggers

Many, many thanks to Michelle of Scribbit and T.W. of Culinary Types for generously nominating me as a Thinking Blogger. Michelle who lives and raises a family in Alaska posts everyday on an endless variety of interesting subjects. From tips about blackberries (the electronic type) to teaching children table manners to simply capturing the humor and beauty of everyday life, Scribbit is an exceptional blog. Once you get a taste of Michelle's writing, you'll keep coming back for more.

What I enjoy most about T.W.'s blog Culinary Types is the passion with which he writes each and every post. You share in his excitement when he tries a new recipe and willingly join him as he travels the globe for culinary treasures. T.W. is part historian, part writer, part chef, and all quality.

Since I didn't know this was a meme the first time I was tagged, I thought I'd do 10 nominees. I have about 50 favorite food blogs, but I chose these 10 nominees because they represent 10 different types of blogs, and I haven't seen them nominated (though they probably have been).

1. Alanna of A Veggie Venture and Kitchen Parade. A couple of months ago, I had the pleasure to share dinner with Alanna (a.k.a. The Veggie Evangelist) while she was in L.A. She was what I expected--talented, enthusiastic, and generous. Indeed, Alanna is brimming with brilliant ideas and has acted as a mentor to many food bloggers. She's also a committed editor and contributor to BlogHer where she writes engagingly about the food blogging community. If you haven't checked out BlogHer yet, then do so right away!

2. Cookiecrumb from I'm Mad and I Eat. The first time I read a post from Cookiecrumb, I laughed out loud. Seriously. Since that day, I continue to be entertained by her posts. Cookiecrumb is more than a funny lady though; she's a truly thoughtful food blogger. Click here to read about her current commitment to eating only locally produced food.

3. Elise of Simply Recipes. I think of Elise as the benevolent big sister of the food blogging family. She’s an endless source of information, inspiration, and insight into all things culinary. I especially appreciate her commitment to teaching people how to cook through her step-by-step tutorials (with excellent visuals) and simply worded recipes. What else can I say? Elise’s site is a treasure.

4. Jeanne of Cook Sister! From the first time I saw Jeanne’s warm smile (from the picture on her site) and read one of her posts, I was drawn in. Jeanne is a rarity—she has been in the food blogging world for several years yet writes each and every post with utter freshness and enthusiasm. I especially appreciate her series of detailed restaurant reviews. Beware: after reading some of them, you might be tempted to fly to London for dinner! Also, Jeanne, Johanna (see #5 below), and Andrew of Spitoon are co-founders of the ever popular Waiter, There’s Something in My monthly blog event.

5. Johanna of The Passionate Cook. I enjoy reading all of Johanna's posts, but I especially treasure her culinary city snapshot series. Her descriptions are so well developed and written that you feel as if you have visited the city yourself. Johanna is a prolific blogger whose delicious writing and photography is endlessly appealing.

6. Karen of Family Style Food. I have Alanna of A Veggie Venture to thank for introducing me to Karen. Talk about a small world—Karen grew up in an Italian family in Rhode Island, so we clearly share a bond. In fact, I have learned that her father’s family owned Tedesco’s Meat Market in RI, where my mom and I shopped for years! Like the name implies, Karen shares delicious, lovingly home cooked meals (and engaging stories) on her blog. Like we say in RI, this is one wicked good blog!

7. Pille of Nami-Nami. Reading Pille’s blog is like taking a culinary journey to Estonia. Though I’ve never actually eaten Estonian food, I feel as if I have, thanks to Pille’s thoughtfully detailed and informative posts. She has an appealing style that is both laid-back and smart (just look at her photo to see what I mean), and she leaves sincere, thoughtful comments, which I always appreciate.

8. Rob from Hungry in Hogtown. Rob's blog is a gem. His posts are thoughtfully conceived, intelligently composed, and endlessly appealing. Rob's experimentation with molecular gastronomy is fascinating (just check out the passionate reader responses he gets) and his choice of culinary ingredients unique. Hungry in Hogtown is one of those blogs where you savor every word of every post.

9. Ronnie of Around the Table. From the first time I read Ronnie's blog, I was emotionally hooked. She writes poignantly about her family's history in The Holocaust and how her heritage has shaped the woman she is today. Her recipes are unique and her stories memorable. I thoroughly enjoy Ronnie’s focus on family and food and know you will to!

10. Terry B. of Blue Kitchen. Though I've never met Terry B., I feel like he is an old friend. That's because both his writing and commenting are personal and thoughtful. Terry's enthusiasm for cooking and curiosity about various culinary topics is contagious. I especially like the way, at the end of each post, Terry explains why he uses certain ingredients and brands; it's always informative and helpful. Just read a few of his posts to see what I mean. You’ll be glad you did!

For those of you who so wish, you can nominate five of your own thinking bloggers.

Thank you, thank you, Susan - I'm extremely flattered for being nominated. I'll try to keep leaving thoughtful and sincere comments:) I'm honoured to hear that you enjoy reading my blog, and that I manage to 'communicate' some of my home country to you. Some of your other nominees are new to me (there are so many foodblogs, it's hard to keep up!), so I'm off to check them out soon!

Susan, you made my day! Thanks so much for the nomination and the beautiful description of my blog. My dedication to writing about food, family and preserving tradition just got even stronger. I look forward to reading all the other blogs and continuing to enjoy your thoughtful posts.

Thanks, Susan! This is high praise, coming from you. The blogs that keep me coming back don't just teach me how to cook something new--they tell me stories, make me smile, make me think, make me feel welcome. The really great ones always raise the bar for me too, make me work a little harder to measure up. Blogs like yours, for instance.

Well. *I"M* flattered! Ooh, thanks. So honored.I am so pleased with your roundup of the 10 bloggers who make you think, some of whom I know and some of whom I can't wait to meet.Very thoughtful of you, Susan. Very thinky.

Hi Susan. Congratulations on your nomination! Your mom is so very proud of you. She introduced me to your blog and I so have been enjoying it. I have been recommending the sight to many friends, including many from the Scalabrini community. Tomorrow at lunch with your mom, I will have yet another opportunity to pass on your blog information. Rosanna, your RINeighbor

Thanks so much Susan - I'm flattered to be nominated by a blogger of your calibre! And what a great list of nominations you have there - some old faces and some new (to me, anyway!) but all great. I'd better get down to making some nominations of my own now...